Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian

Horseshoe Canyon Alberta Canada 

from the Dinosaur Collector update 091208  

In this mini-Grand Canyon of brownish-grey mudstone, white sandstone, black coal and reddish siltstone, a river once flowed to the shallow sea that covered most of the Alberta during the Cretaceous.  Edmontosaurus and Pachyrhinosaurus were abundant. So were the bird-like Struthiomimus and Dromiceiomimus. Albertosaurus and less common Daspletosaurus are the top predators.  Edmontonia and Euoplocephalus also present.  The fauna shows continuity with with the previous Campanian fauna and a sharp difference with the succeeding Hell Creek  fauna.

The theropod Daspletosaurus ( frightful lizard )  was at 27 feet a smaller relative of Albertosaurus and the later more famous Tyrannosaurus.  It is a close relative of Tyrannosaurus even a candidate for its ancestor.  Pachyrhinosaurus (Thick-nosed reptile) was a centrosaurine about 17 feet long.  It had a rough, thickened bones in place of the nasal horn typically found in large ceratopsians. Speculation that the boney bump formed the base for a large horn seems unfounded.  It appears to related to Einosaurus and Archelosasurus that lived earlier. 

Disney Pachyrhinosaurus, a Play Vision Daspletosaurus and National Geographic Micromachine Euoplocephalus.  Daspletosaurus is pretty rare as a toy so even a mediocre piece is nice to find.  Play vision had labeling problems with many of their figures.  In this set the Daspletosaurus and Iguanodon seem to have had the names switched.

Albertosaurus at 30 feet is the largest and is the more common top predator and seems to have lived in family groups and Edmontonia was a larger animal reaching up to 21 feet.  It becomes much less common later in the Maastrichtian. 

Carnegie Safari Albertosaurus and Edmontonia by Schleich both were released in 2004.  Best looking Albertosaurus to date for a toy line.

Pachyrhinosaurus had 1 to 3 straight horns in the middle of its frill. It is still sometimes reconstructed with a massive nose horn on the bone pad on its nose.
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Procon Pachyrhinosaurus

Struthiomimus (ostrich mimic) shares many bird like characteristics.  While a theropod it may have also eaten fruit and seeds in addition to small animals.  The main defense of this toothless dinosaur would have been speed..

The Struthiomimus is a Marx reproduction.   This figure has held up pretty well over time.  Which is good since it seems to be out of favor with figure makers.

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